(first posted 3/19/2015) If you were a typical white-skin, white-collar middle-class Pop with a wife and 2.3 kids, and were looking to spend three grand on a nice-ish white sedan in 1966, you could do worse than to have picked this Olds Dynamic 88. It was reasonably stylish for being a plain sedan, had plenty of room in its 123″ wheelbase, had that famous GM ride, and Oldsmobiles had rep for being screwed together pretty decently. But best of all, it was the only car in its class to come standard with a 425 cubic inch (7 liter) V8; not bad, for an inflation-adjusted $21,600. That is, as long as you were good with manual steering, manual brakes, crank windows, no air conditioning and a three-speed manual on the column. Maybe that part wouldn’t exactly make wifey any too happy; better get ready to cough up some more white-bread dough.
I didn’t actually look to confirm that this one has an automatic, but then finding a three-on-the-tree ’66 Olds Dynamic 88 so equipped would be quite the coup. And with that small-diameter aftermarket steering wheel, we can probably rule out manual steering. But don’t think that there weren’t some folks out there in 1966 who still wanted big cars without all those new-fangled power-dood-dads. The same kind of guys that today bitch and moan endlessly about computers in their cars, FWD, ABS, air bags, and every other modern safety and convenience feature, never mind the full on high-tech interfaces.
When I was a car jockey at Towson Ford, I worked at the service department for a while. It was an old garage, with the parking lot on the roof and a steep ramp with very tight corners at the top and bottom, designed for Model As, probably. On day, I was handed the keys to take a ’69 LTD four door hardtop up to the roof. I noticed the “390” call out on the front fender. But when I slid in on the slippery panty-cloth seats, I was shocked to find that it had a three-on-the-tree! A special order, I assumed, having never seen any big Ford with a three-speed manual during my time at Towson Ford, never mind on an optional 390.
I started up the big 390, slid it into gear, and as I started to make the first tight turn from the service entrance through the shop, I was confronted with massive resistance on the steering wheel. What the?? I assumed it was here because the power steering had gone out. I really leaned into it, but getting it around the ramp corners was no joke, especially with a clutch too. When I parked it I opened the hood to verify my suspicion about the defunct power steering, but there was no pump to be seen. Never mind an A/C compressor. When the owner came to pick up his all-manual LTD, I got the picture: he looked like a casting-call pick to play the part of a tough and grizzled retired Marine drill sergeant.
A quick look through the big Ford brochure enlightened me: all those missing power accoutrements were optional, even on the LTD. Who would have thought?
We’re here to talk about the Olds Dynamic 88, and not Fords, but let’s move on from the realm of rarities and back to typical reality: Pop undoubtedly sprung for the Turbo-Hydramatic, the power steering and the power brakes, even if not the power windows and air conditioning. Although the latter was getting decidedly more common during about this time.
Incomes were growing strongly during the sixties, and air conditioning, in the car and at home, was one of the beneficiaries. Whereas it was still a relative rarity at the beginning of the decade, by the end of it a/c was becoming pretty common, especially on the nicer cars.
Sure enough, our featured car, which appears to originate from California, is so equipped. Nothing like a long freeway commute in the smog to make one appreciate the value of that option. And its not like the big 425 Rocket V8 would feel the load.
The Olds engine line-up was a bit odd in some respects. For instance, the standard engine in the Dynamic 88 and Delta 88 had a two-barrel carb but 10.25:1 compression, requiring premium fuel, and rated at 310 (gross) hp. A no-cost option was a regular-fuel version with lower compression and rated at 300 hp.
These two-barrel big-cube engines were typically teamed with very high-geared (low numerically) rear axle ratios, and resulted in surprisingly decent fuel economy on the highway. In 1967, Olds took that approach to its ultimate step, the 20 mpg Turnpike Cruiser.
But if more performance was on Pop’s mind, the 365 hp four-barrel 425 was also available, which would have teamed up nicely with the optional four-speed manual, with floor shift. Yes, Pop; please do!! Never mind what Mom will say!
I had a school friend whose Pop drove either a Dynamic or Delta 88 of this year, but with Mom-approved automatic. I remember a ride or two in it, and it was a very quiet and smooth ride indeed. Which was of course the whole point, for the most part. In fact, there were a fair number of these big Olds sedans to be seen every Sunday morning at Immaculate Conception; in fact, I’d say that these were highly representative of the demographics that predominated at this church: conservative, white-collar, white-flight Baltimore suburbia. That and a lot of green 1972 LTDs, which of course explains my love-hate relationship to them. Give me the Dynamic 88 any day.
This slightly worse-for-wear veteran is sporting CA tags, no rear bumper, and what appears to an improved license plate support. The fuel filler is now fully exposed; how I hated that GM particular design. Why?
About this time in high school, before my Towson Ford job, I worked at a little gas station. One hot summer day, I leaned down and inserted the fuel nozzle in one of these almost horizontal filler tubes, turned the nozzle on high, and let go. In a scene that I can still see (and smell) vividly today, the nozzle slid right out again, turned and shot a blast of premium right into my face, including my aghast open mouth, my nose and my eyes. The nozzle clicked off when it hit the pavement, but I was almost overcome. I spit the gas out of my mouth, and ran into the shop to the big sink, and put my face under the water tap, to wash out my eyes, as well as my mouth.
It was a hot summer day, and a busy one, so a few minutes later I was back at it, pumping gas, washing windshields, checking oil, water and tire pressure. But the smell of gas has never been quite as palatable to me as it was before. But I always checked to make sure the nozzle was really going to stay before I let go of it in any of these low-filler GM cars.
I look at these now and chuckle: did American cars really have to use up some three-quarters of their length for the front clip and the trunk? That passenger compartment looks like its almost lost between those absurdly long front and rear ends. No wonder big car sales were just about to head into a terminal decline, as quite large “mid-sized” cars were poised to take over the sweet spot in the market. This Dynamic 88 looks like its hiding a Cutlass sedan in all that Jet-Puffed marshmallow cladding.
Just 15 years earlier, big American sedans, like this 1951 Olds 88, had such better proportions, less wasted space, cast a smaller shadow, yet were more comfortable with their tall sofa-style seats and easy egress. No wonder CUVs are so popular.
But in 1966, one could have done worse than this Olds Dynamic 88.
Related reading:
CC: 1951 Oldsmobile Super 88 (driving review) – Rocketing Back In Time
I know this is from GM’s golden age and before the 80s horrors of ‘the valet can’t tell which is the Buick’ look-alikes, but still I’m struck by how much this Olds looks like a thinly disguised Chevrolet.
I wouldn’t think Chevrolet, I would think Buick.
Wasted space yes, but so aesthetically pleasing. The hood/trunk to greenhouse ratio probably worked better on the 98 but this is a fine-looking car. I think the excessiveness of fullsize US sedans and wagons from this period is what makes them so attractive to me, because they made it work. Pragmatism definitely takes a back seat to exoticism at this historical distance.
Perhaps, but the “white skin” language was unnecessary. It adds no context whatsoever to his point that this was a solidly, middle class 1966 sedan.
I still think the US sedan represents the ideal proportionality. Its sort of like when artists during the Renaissance discovered the ‘golden mean’, the US automotive industry created a golden ratio for sedans. Don’t get me wrong, I love sedans from all over the world; early 50s Rileys, my beloved Jag 420G, little boxy Fiat 128, Nissan 330 Cedric, Mazda Luce, the timeless W108 Mercedes, even Australia’s own Holden HQ and Ford XA, but for me the US sedan found an almost mystical perfection in expression around the time of this Olds and, to be honest, is the absolute defining expression of the four door and should be sent up in the next Voyager spaceship to represent some of the very best this planet can produce.
I see where you’re going, but I can’t say that I agree with you there, Don.
I always though many (not all) of the bigger ‘full size’ sixties US cars had ridiculously long overhangs, and would have looked better with six inches chopped off the nose and a foot or so off the rear. To my eyes, this Olds is a prime example. Look at the profile photo. It would have looked just as good (better?) with the repaired area on the rear removed entirely.
I sort of understand the stylistic reason – ‘It’s an Olds; it’s gotta be bigger than a Chevy’ – but it would have been more prestigious and made more sense to make the passenger compartment bigger, not the overhang.
Biased? Maybe. I remember being cramped for space in the rear seat of a mid-seventies LTD back in the day – no more legroom than a ten year old Falcon.
I sort of agree back with you, Pete. This Olds definitely has an element of the overlong; the car that probably typifies the golden ratio best is the 1963 Poncho;
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-american/curbside-classic-1963-pontiac-catalina-the-sexiest-big-sedan-of-its-time/
Having said that, I do love this shape for its excessiveness.
While it would have made sense to make the passenger compartment bigger, the B-body (shared with Chevy) required the A, B and C pillars to be where they are, not farther apart.
agree. the “white skin” language jumped right out at me. can’t go anywhere these days without an agenda lurking
What agenda? It’s context, not an agenda. There’s a big difference, unless you’re overly sensitive/insecure about the issue, in which case that’s your problem.
How many white collar blacks or Latinos were buying Olds sedans in 1966? If they could, they were most likely buying the two-door Holiday hardtop, at the least, and not a post sedan.
My point was that this is a very conservative body style, and would have appealed most likely to a certain demographic.
The Holiday sedan (4-door hardtop) actually outsold the pillared Town Sedan in each of the 3 Oldsmobile 88 series in 1966 (Delta, Dynamic and Jetstar).
@ Paul Niedermeyer. You are correct sir. In East LA at the time, the few newer/nicer cars were Deuce-and-a-quarters or Cadillacs. Oldsmobiles were a suburban thing. Not to put too fine a point on it, but in suburban LA in the mid 60’s, there were precious few Black or Latino families in the suburbs.Where I grew up, the sum total was likely zero. I’m sure that’s changed- but it needs to be taken in the context of the times.
In the 1960’s where I grew up in the coastal suburbs of LA, there were plenty of middle income Latinos. But, the family ride of choice was much more likely a high-trim Chevy than a plain Jane Olds.
Holy shit. Paul has written probably a million words or more on automotive subjects, and you isolate two words in an alliterative sentence (white skin, white collar, white car, white-bread choice – geddit?) and call it an agenda. What agenda? Find me one other piece of Paul’s writing in his massive and substantive back catalogue where he’s pushing your so-called agenda.
I’m going to assume you weren’t around in the 60s. There was no black middle class to speak of. Middle class back then meant white.
(By the way, this was meant as a reply to Stephan.)
Inefficiency is beneficial at some degree. It’s true on cars, and intelligence, or many other things. But it’s not easy to learn for most of the time.
I always thought that Olds made the most of the common GM big-car roof in 65-68 with its more dramatic kickup. But those Olds dashes – weird.
I thought the 65-66 Olds dash was the coolest part of the car, with the speedo nestled in the V of the vinyl dash pad. This jogged a memory of when my Uncle Bob was replacing his 61 Olds in about 1967. He brought home a 65 Olds 4 door for a test drive (small town). My Aunt took one look at the dash and and said that she couldn’t stand a car with a round speedometer. It must have seemed old fashioned to her. Anyway, the Olds went back and they bought a 64 Galaxie 500 instead. With a nice wide rectangular speedometer.
Yeah, so here’s what that giant-eye dash reminds me of.
Not to quibble, sir, but you’re using the term “vinyl dash pad” a bit loosely.
Dash was hard as a rock. Definitely not vinyl, and not padded.
The 65 Olds brochure confirms that standard equipment included a “safety padded instrument panel”. I will agree that the “padding” was almost as hard as steel, but not quite. Our 64 Cutlass had a padded dash. The cool thing about the 65 was that the padding on top was darker than the rest of the dash and came down around the speedo. The painted steel dash was mostly a thing of the past by 1965 and was, I believe, outlawed by the 1967 model year. I know that my Uncle Bob’s 64 Galaxie 500 had a painted steel dash and not the optional padded one. But you are right that the “padding” was nothing like we got used to by the late 60s.
They probably were softer back then. They dry up and turn into a brick as they get older.
Agree on the Olds dash, possibly the best ’65-’66 full size GM dash. Interestingly, Buick also used a round speedo these years, but off to the side with probably the largest clock ever on the other side – a dash that was an acquired taste. I am partial to the Ninety-Eight version of this dash, it sported possibly the best fake wood grain ever done. Makes you wonder what happened at Cadillac after 1970 with some of the worst ever through ’76.
Seems like a nice ride for a married guy with kids back in the day. My old man would have been 30 with three kids at the time and a prime target for one of these. In five years he would slip another one past the goalie and I came along, necessitating an Impala wagon instead of sedan. Men today complain about getting bled dry by their families – remember that birth control was much more spotty back then! Then again, dads were not expected to actually do too much for their kids back then so I guess it evens out. I’m getting off topic here. . .
Comparably equipped, were Oldmobiles any more expensive than Chevrolets back then?
“In five years he would slip one past the goalie and I came along”
That’s the best line I’ve read in quite a while. Thank you.
Your question at the end got me curious and I grabbed my car encyclopedia.
1966 Chevrolet Impala base price was $2783 for a four-door sedan. Add power brakes ($42), power steering ($95), tinted glass all around ($37), am/fm radio ($134), tilt wheel ($42), power windows ($100), power glide ($195), and a 396 ($158). No price for a/c.
For a 1966 Olds Delta 88, base price was $3138. Add power brakes ($41), power steering ($94), tinted windows ($30), a/c ($343), tilt wheel ($41), am/fm ($147), automatic transmission ($23), and I’m leaving the engine alone. Nothing for power windows here but power locks were $68.
Options were a dollar or so cheaper for the Olds, except the automatic was almost a gimme for the 88. No wonder the three-speed was so rare on these.
I had no idea the THM was so inexpensive. Probably explains why I have never seen one with a 3 speed. So many of these came with PS, PB, auto and an AM radio, and nothing else.
These definitely cost more than a Chevy. But for the extra money you got much more engine, a better transmission, more length and nicer trim. You definitely got more social status with one of these. That was real back then.
My parents went from a 1965 Chevrolet Bel Air station wagon (with a 283 V-8 and Powerglide) to a 1967 Oldsmobile Delmont 88 Holiday sedan.
The Oldsmobile was a big step up from the Chevrolet in every way, including reliability. The Chevrolet was almost shot at 100,000 miles, while the Oldsmobile was worn at 110,000 miles, but still running reasonably well. They traded it for a 1976 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale hardtop sedan.
The 1967 Oldsmobile had been owned an elderly neighbor. He traded it for a brand-new Chevrolet truck in June of 1972, and when my father heard about it, he immediately went to the local Chevrolet-Oldsmobile-Cadillac dealer to make an offer on it. It had about 19,000 miles on the odometer, and had never been driven in the winter, or even in the rain. When I rode in it on the way home from the dealer, I remember thinking how smooth and quiet that Oldsmobile felt compared to our old Bel Air.
In those days, you really did get a better car when you moved from a Chevrolet to an Oldsmobile.
I totally agree with you Geeber. In high school I worked for a family that bought many Oldsmobiles. In 67 they bought a new coupe – I think it was a Delmont 88 but I’m a bit hazy on the models for those years (it replaced a 65 Dynamic 88). The 67 was red with a black vinyl top and I drove it from time to time. One of the staff bought a new 67 Impala SS coupe with the 327 and Powerglide, same exact paint scheme and vinyl top as the Olds. Parked together, with the rakish fastback roof of the GM coupes that year, they looked a lot alike. But to drive them, they were very different. The Olds seemed like a far more expensive car but probably wasn’t, given that the Impala SS was near the top of the Chevy line. The Olds was quieter, rode better, seemed tightly built with no squeaks or rattles, whereas the Chevy seemed a lot tinnier, noisier – even the quality of the vinyl interior was inferior to the lower line Olds.
Oldsmobiles of the 60’s were really nice cars, aspirational for a lot of middle class folks. What happened to Olds later on was pretty hard to watch – the bad styling, low quality, imitative rather innovative engineering. In the end it was a relief when they killed off a brand name that had proudly graced so many outstanding cars from the 30’s through the 70’s.
Interesting. On a new Ford Focus S or SE the automatic is just under $1100 extra (they’re listed as separate models and I don’t want to do the math), but a Titanium is manual or auto at the same price. I suspect few manual Focus Titaniums are built and anyone looking to buy one should be prepared for an upsell to an ST.
Odd; my Encyclopedia shows $3,013 for the Dynamic 88 sedan.
Jason, I believe the extra cost for the Hydramatic should be $230. The $23 figure in the Standard Catalog of American Cars is a misprint, something not uncommon I’ve found. (Check the cost of Hydramatic in the ’66 Catalina – $230.)
Even so, the 88 was still a very attractive alternative to the Impala. The base price of the Dynamic 88 4 dr. sedan pictured was only $2,992. (The Delta 88 replaced the old Super 88.) The level of standard equipment was about the same, as was the price of options. So for only $200 bucks more you got Olds prestige plus 115 more horsepower and 142 cubic inches. Not a bad deal at all.
I had wondered the same about a misprint on price; it does sound ridiculously cheap at $23.
My 1967 price guide shows that the Turbohydramatic was about $230 for most GM cars, except Cadillac, top of the line Buick (Electra, Riviera) and Olds 98 where it is mostly standard (98 may have charged $20).
The price for the Turbo-Hydramatic on a ’66 Oldsmobile Dynamic or Delta 88 was $226, a bit less for the 2-speed Jetaway on a Jetstar 88 or F-85/Cutlass. Actually, the Delta 88 was more comparable to a Chevrolet Caprice, Ford LTD or Pontiac Bonneville than an Impala. A Dynamic 88, whose interior trim was slightly more upscale than an Impala, Ford Galaxie 500 or Pontiac Catalina, probably cost just over $3,000 in ’66 but had an option list that was the same as the Delta.
Turbo-Hydramatic was standard on all Olds 98s and Toronados, and Buick Rivieras. Same pattern at Ford and Chrysler. In Dearborn, Cruise-O-Matic was standard on Lincoln Continentals and Mercury Park Lanes and Marquis (Mercurys starting in 1967) and Ford LTDs (1965-67 only) and Thunderbirds. At Chrysler, TorqueFlite was standard on all Chrysler New Yorkers, 300s and Town and Country wagons, but optional on Newports as well as Dodge Polaras and Monacos and Plymouth Furys and VIPs.
Thanks for researching that. It sounds like the Olds might have been worth it.
Slipping one past the goalie – it happens overnight. . . I’m on the Chinese plan myself.
“Slip another one past the goalie”… LOVE it!!!
That hulk looks like the POS, Tony Danza gave his daughter on the show(Alyssa Milano), as her 1st car, on Whose The Boss?… Except, her’s was school bus yellow, with tons of reflectors stuck all around it.
The funny part is, when she sits in the driver seat for the first time, with a disappointed look on her face, and mutters “OH, What a feeling.” Lol
Not sure, if the 88 in this episode was a 66 or 67.
Ha, I remember that episode. It even had tires mounted front and back to absorb shock (which did a good job, combined with the reflectors, of obscuring what it actually was…)
Very nice find! I can imagine what a traumatic experience the gas pump incident was. I tend to be a bit of a hypochondriac when it comes to anything with toxic chemicals in it, so you had me cringing with that tale.
Thank you for making the connection between pre-1960s sedans and crossovers. I think some people forget that crossovers are really just a modern continuation of these characteristics.
Hitting me where I lived. My extended family was lousy with Oldsmobiles in the 60s. To me, these were the most normal of the normal.
When the 65 Olds came out, I hated it. Those huge perfectly round wheel openings looked nothing like the sharply chiseled flanks I had grown used to on Oldsmobiles. But Olds clung to that look, and the rest of the industry soon followed. Rare has been the car of the last 40 years that tried to conceal some rear tire.
“Dynamic 88” may be my favorite Oldsmobile name of all time.
My great uncle had a 1964 Oldsmobile 98 4-door sedan (98 not 88, mind you) that did not have power windows, power seats or even a radio! I don’t recall if it had factory AC, after market AC or no AC. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn it was the latter. His house was only three blocks from the furniture store he owned so he only drove the car to church (about 2 miles from home) and to visit his grown children who both lived in town. Town, by the way, was Houston, Texas but many cars didn’t have AC then, even in hot, humid H-town. Houston wasn’t called “H-town” then or even “Space City.” I believe the popular term back then was “The Bayou City.” Obviously, the Olds was a special order.
My father also special ordered a car that year but with a few more checks on the option list. It was a 1964 Pontiac Catalina 2-door hardtop with the Ventura trim; no power windows nor 8-lug wheels but it did have factory AC, power steering and brakes, and the Slim Jim automatic transmission (not the Hydra-matic available on the Star Chief and Bonneville). The Poncho even had a remote control rear view mirror and a light in the trunk that could be detached and reeled out on its power cord. He also ordered color keyed seat belts (4 sets) which came in a plastic bag in the trunk. He installed them himself at our house. There were nuts welded to the floor pan for that purpose but he had to cut through the carpet to expose them.
That would have been the 98 Celebrity Sedan, the only model in the series, upon which power windows and seat were extra-cost options. All Holiday models and convertibles got those items as standard equipment. All 98s did come with Roto Hydra-Matic, Roto Power Steering and Pedal Ease Power Brakes as standard equipment. The Roto Hydra-Matic wasn’t the greatest transmission offered by GM , it was used on all full-sized Oldsmobiles and on Pontiac Catalina and Grand Prix models – Star Chief and Bonneville got the older 4-speed Super Hydra-Matic still used in all Cadillacs through 1963 along with 1964 Series 62 and Fleetwood 75 models (other Cadillacs and big Buicks got GM’s new Turbo-Hydramatic/Super Turbine 400 – which replaced the older Hydra-Matics in Pontiacs and Oldsmobiles for ’65)
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With ‘Roto-‘ this and ‘Roto-‘ that, I’m surprised the brakes weren’t Roto-something as well. But maybe ‘Roto-Stop’ didn’t sound right. 🙂
I find the long-tail look charming, and ’66 to be one of the most attractive years for the entire Big Three. Maybe even my pick for best-looking year for the postwar industry.
Maybe a QOTD here? What’s the year that saw the highest proportion of handsome car designs, with the fewest turkeys?
Hard to answer the double-barrelled question. I’d nominate 1950, 1965, 1967 or 1971 for best US, but the turkey component is a confounding factor.
Add 1955 to that list. The end of dowdy, but the designers haven’t gone crazy yet. And the only real turkey that year was Studebaker.
> Maybe a QOTD here? What’s the year that saw the highest proportion of handsome car designs, with the fewest turkeys?
I think I would agree with 1966, and add 1959 (excluding vehicles in the Ford camp though).
1969 for GM.
Here’s a link to a ’66 Olds pricing guide, BTW
http://www.oldcarbrochures.org/index.php/NA/Oldsmobile/1966-Oldsmobile/1966-Oldsmobile-Dealer-SPECS
It appears that the featured car has an automatic transmission……The view of the pedals is somewhat obstructed but it appears to have the wide brake pedal…..I cannot tell for sure whether it has the PRND2L in the shift quadrant indicator viewing window above the steering column….or if that viewing window is blanked out for a manual transmission.
I thought the same thing, but still wonder if the pedal is a bit far to the left to be the brake.
Definitely has the Hydramatic. That is the wide brake pedal you see, next to what has to be the hugest accelerator pedal ever. Would be right at home in a city bus.
The featured 88 is no stripper, with A/C, the chrome window frames, tinted glass, power brakes (you can tell by the pedal trim) and no doubt power steering. A pretty popular car for the middle class, popularly equipped.
Can’t see the Prndl in the speedometer, but the up-ness of the lever is probably a good enough indication of Hydramatic.
Manual drivers always left the car parked in low.
I remember walking past an Olds of this vintage and noticing with a jolt that the lever was down. Peeked inside, and sure enough there was a clutch. It was one of the 3 cars that were equipped with a 3-speed that year!
I always put my manual transmissions in reverse when I park. I figure the reverse gear would block any forward motion of the car.
I used to, but I leave it in neutral now. I never know when another family member’s going to drive my car.
Sweet looking car. I’ve always liked Oldsmobiles of the 1950s and 60s. It’s a shame that General Motors discontinued Oldsmobile.
I would have rather they sacrificed Buick. If they needed three divisions (cheap, middle class, and rich),the leap from Chevrolet to Buick is almost the same as the move from Chevy to Cadillac. Chevy, Olds, Cadillac makes more sense. But Buicks are hot in China so we know why GM saved them.
Buick has never been on my car buying radar for some reason unless it’s a 60’s or 70’s era 442 or Skylark 455 Gran Sport which is pretty much just a nicer Malibu SS 454.
The Volt’s natural home would be Oldsmobile, the experimental division.
But then Chevy has a history of experimentation too – the Corvair, the Vega…
Um, maybe not the best memories to evoke, huh?
Buick is big in China, otherwise it is not needed. But Buick is where General Motors started and was the company that was ultimately responsible to pay for Durant’s madness.
But Olds died long ago well before GM had to pair down their offerings. The pretty much killed it when they gave it cars like the Aurora.
I think the European style sedans that Buick and Oldsmobile had in the 80’s did not attract a large number of customers, so when GM decreed that Olds should take over this market and drop American style sedans, they limited the sales. Perhaps this was the plan all along.
This brings back some memories. Back in high school (late 70’s), I had a 65 Dynamic 88 we bought from a neighbor. PS/PB/AC and low compression 425 2 bbl. Even with this “economy” engine, it would still step out when one mashed on the ironing board-sized foot feed. The limited slip diff was a big help in the snow.
One of the times my Dad drove it, he commented that maybe he should’ve shopped Olds back when he bought a new 65 Ford Custom 500…. No PS, no PB, no AC and no AT. Add in the three on the tree with an overdrive, and it definitely fit the, er…., “thrifty” approach he had to vehicles at the time. Kinda like Paul’s Dad, I’m thinking.
Oh, well….back to the Olds. Mine was a hardtop and the window seals were a bit worn. Other than a little wind noise, it was a quiet, smooth ride. I miss it, even with that funky dashboard.
There is a video on YouTube of a fellow who owns a 1968 Ford Galaxie Coupe with the 390 V-8 with 3 speed manual…..His wife holds the camera on a ride-along as he drives the car and demonstrates operation of the 3 speed.
It seems that 3 speed manual transmissions were gone from full sized domestic cars by the early to mid 1970’s, but the 3 speed held on longer on mid sized and compact cars such as the Valiant/Dart and Ford Maverick…..Full sized pickups held onto the 3 speed manual until the mid to late 80’s until the 5 speed manuals became available…….Nowadays, newer manual transmission equipped vehicles are becoming harder and harder to find.
To the best of my knowledge, the last car (not truck) sold in the US with 3-on-the-tree was the ’79 Chevy Nova.
I too worked at a gas station for a while – early 80’s – and can remember vividly several times when I got doused with gas kicking back out of fillers – not pleasant at all.
Also – my grandfather was an Olds man. I remember one time – early 70’s – my mother’s Maverick broke down and he came to pick us up. The ride was like whipped cream – so smooth and quiet compared to that tinny Maverick.
At the time, many in the segment decided to go with the Catalina.
If I could go back in time thats what I would have gotten in 66. I imagine a Catalina 4 dr Hardtop would have been about the same price as a Dynamic 88 Sedan, equiped similar. Once you put AC, PS, PB, Auto, AM Radio, tinted glass, Whitewalls and deluxe Wheel Covers I think back then the price would have been right around 4000.00.
The Catalina was priced less than the Dynamic 88 and its interior trim was also more Impala-like although buying the Decor Group got the Pontiac buyer a deluxe steering wheel and wheel covers, wheel well trim and custom pedal trim plates (the latter automatically included with the optional power brakes). Catalina also cost less than the Olds Jetstar 88 even though the Pontiac had a larger standard engine (389 vs. Jetstar’s 330) and brake drums (Jetstars used the F-85 brakes while other big Oldsmobiles had 12-inch drums shared with other full-sized GM cars) and optional Turbo Hydra-matic rather than the 2-speed Jetaway of the entry-level full-sized Olds. On a car to car basis on price and trim, the Dynamic 88 was actually more like Pontiac’s mid-line Star Chief/Executive while Bonneville was comparable to Delta 88 and the Bonneville Brougham was almost 98-like in appointments.
Glad this thread appeared i was thinking Catalina was probably the best choice of the bunch.
+1. Better proportioned, with more flow to the lines.
Forgot about the Decor Packages for the Catalina and the LeSabre which dressed them up quite a bit. Do not think Olds did this. Though few Catalina’s were bare bones I think the stripper Catalina was trimmed more like a Chevy Bel Air, though a Hardtop got a way from that a little. I think there may have even been a Catalina 2 Door Sedan still around in 66.
Olds offered the decor group stuff as standard on both Jetstar and Dynamic 88s during this period including a deluxe steering wheel, pedal trim plates and full wheel covers. Also, while Catalinas used the standard door handles found in low-line Chevrolet Bel Airs and Biscaynes as did base Buick LeSabres, the Holiday models and convertibles of the two Oldsmobile 88 series’ had the more deluxe “Easi-Grop” door handles.
Easi-Grip door handles.
My wife’s first car, but she had to share it with her older sister. Grandpa’s ’66 Catalina 4Dr, bought new in Salinas, Ca.
I always liked the 4 door hardtop versions more than the pillared sedans of this generation….My Dad had a 65 Impala 4 door hardtop and the hardtop roof gave the car a completely different personality compared to the 4 door pillared sedan version of the same car……The hardtop made the car look more upscale and sporty.
While I think I would have preferred Pontiac that year, this Olds is still a sharp-looking vehicle. How very odd about the fuel filler though–seems like a mount that low would have been ergonomically…questionable? I guess what with full service, the comfort of the attendant was not a paramount concern!
I do miss centrally located fuel fillers though. Both of my Malibus and my mom’s Parisienne had the variety that were center rear located behind a flip-down license plate; probably similar to this car’s setup before its bumper got gone, except that they were higher up as the license plate was above the bumper. Very convenient to not have to worry about which side one is pulling up to!
Almost certainly an automatic.
Look at the pedal in the photo detailing the Air Conditioning and the 8-Track stereo.
When I still lived at my previous apparment, my neighbor had one of these. He also organizes a regular local US classic car meet.
Here’s an older rear view (click) of the same car. It makes quite some noise 🙂
Paul, the next-to-last sentence of the first paragraph describes my dad to a tee in ’65. He just preferred a different model in the line.
Guess what he chose instead. Go ahead. Guess.
Oh, and the last sentence of the first para is spot on. Uncanny insight, you have.
The ’66 Olds is okay, but for just a few hundred dollars more you could move up to a Chrysler Newport. 😉
Chrysler does seem the best competition that year.
I’m not sure a Newport was actually any more expensive than the 88, but the Olds does have two points that may put it ahead.
I’ve always found the Chrysler 383 to be plenty of engine, but the 425 is significantly bigger.
I like the styling of both, but GM was clearly the trendsetter in those days, While Chrysler was still looking back to the early ’60s in some ways.
Siphoning gas out of a car has reminded me of what a mouth full of gas was like. Doesn’t taste like anything but the fumes afterwards choke you.
Oh, and please don’t light up after you do that. I did smoke at the time but knew better.
The large GM cars had those gas tanks with the filler for at least 25 years. Remember a eighties vintage Olds 88 I did the same thing with.
My paternal grandparents, who both appreciated a car with good performance, had a ’63 Dynamic 88 Holiday hardtop and a ’69 Delta 88 Custom Holiday hardtop. They both went like the dickens – especially if my grandmother was behind the wheel — and were well made, overall. I’ll never forget one thing, though: they both had the same high pitched dashboard squeek when going over rough roads.
The Six in the lineup sounds suspiciously like a Chevy 250. Same displacement, torque, compression and identical horsepower. Looking at the picture, the alternator, oil filter, oil cap, and PCV valve are in the same place as well. Is the Jetway Drive just a renamed Powerglide or a Torque Drive with a fancy torque converter?
I believe you are correct about the 6 being a Chevy. Olds had used the Buick V6 in the F-85 line in 1964-65, but switched to the Chevy inline six in 1966 (as did Buick). The Jetaway 2 speed auto was also the unit used in the F-85. Buick, Olds and Pontiac used slightly different variations on the same automatic, which was different from a Chevy Powerglide. Aaron Severson will be able to fill in the details here, as he has written about these in some detail. The Jetstar 88 with the small engine, lightweight 2 speed auto and the undersized brakes really was a cynical attempt to offer a price-leader. A buyer was wise to go up to a Dynamic 88 for a “real” Oldsmobile, or down to a Pontiac.
Buick didn’t offer Chevy’s 250 inline six until the 1968 model year, a year after they sold the V6 tooling to Jeep, which used the Buick motor until 1971 before switching to inline sixes from their “new” parent company – American Motors. In 1974 during the first energy crisis, GM bought the V6 tooling back from AMC and Flint was once again building the bent sixes in time for the ’75 model year. For that first year, the V6 was 231 cubic inches and offered in Buick’s Skyhawk, Skylark/Apollo and Century/Regal, along with the new subcompact Olds Starfire.
The Jetstar 88 with those items had respectable sales in its 3-year run (1964-66) but was easily outsold by the Dynamic 88 which cost only $75 more than a Jetstar (a Pontiac Catalina cost the same $75 less than a Jetstar 88 but still a much better value for the money). Those extra $75 dollars for the Dynamic bought a larger engine (394 in ’64 and 425 in 65-66), bigger brakes and 3-speed automatic transmission (Roto-Hydramatic in ’64 and Turbo-Hydramatic the following two years). For ’67, both Jetstar and Dynamic were replaced by a new Delmont 88 series upon which both the 330 and 425 engines were offered and all cars having the larger brake drums with the 330 offering both Jetaway or Turbo-Hydramatic 400 and the 425 with the Turbo 400.
By 1966, the stepping stone approach for GM crafted by Alfred Sloan was crashing down thanks to cars such as the Chevrolet Caprice reaching well into Buick-Olds-Pontiac territory and the el cheapo Cadillac Calais down at the BOP and even Caprice level, plus the intermediate-sized B-O-P cars. GM should and could have retained the different classes of full-sized cars clearly in the low, medium and luxury-priced fields.
This approach would omit entry-level cars offered in 1966 such as the Olds Jetstar 88 and Cadillac Calais, plus the base-level Buick LeSabre and Wildcat and the Pontiac Catalina 2-door sedan, since those cars serve little purpose to those divisions saleswise and competed too much with cars of other GM divisions.
CHEVROLET (119-inch wheelbase, all models)
Biscayne, Bel Air, Impala, Impala SS and Caprice. Standard engines would be 250 cid 6 on all Biscayne and Bel Air models along with Impala 4-door sedans and sport coupes. 327 cid V8 with low compression and 225 hp would be the base engine for all Caprice, Impala SS and station wagon models along with Impala sport sedan and convertible, and the standard V8 on other models.
3-speed manual transmission standard across the board with 4-speed manual optional on all V8s, 2-speed Powerglide optional with 250-6 and 327 V8; and 3-speed Turbo-Hydramatic optional on 396 and 427 V8s.
Power steering and brakes optional across the board. 14-inch wheels standard with 15-inch wheels optional.
PONTIAC (Catalina, Ventura, Grand Prix, 2+2 and all Safari wagons, 121-inch wheelbase; and Star Chief Executive and Bonneville, 124-inch wheelbase)
389 cid V8, 290 horsepower (or no-cost regular fuel 265 hp with automatic) standard on Catalina, Ventura and Star Chief Executive models; 389 cid V8, 325 horsepower standard on Bonneville and Grand Prix; 421 cid V8, 338 horsepower standard on 2+2. 3-speed manual column shift standard on Catalina, Ventura and Star Chief models, 3-speed floor shift standard on 2+2, 3-speed Turbo-Hydramatic standard on Bonneville and Grand Prix, extra cost on all other models; 4-speed manual no-cost option on GP, extra-cost option all other models except Bonneville.
Power steering and brakes standard on Bonneville and GP, optional all other models. Power windows standard on Bonneville Brougham and optional on other models. 14-inch wheels standard across the board with 15-inch wheels optional and included with 8-lug aluminum wheel option.
OLDSMOBILE
(Dynamic 88, Delta 88, Starfire, 123-inch wheelbase; and Ninety-Eight, 126-inch wheelbase)
425 cid V8, 310 horsepower (or no-cost regular-fuel 300 hp option) standard on Dynamic 88 and Delta 88. 365 horsepower engine standard on Ninety-Eight and 375 horsepower engine standard on Starfire. Turbo-Hydramatic transmission, power steering and power brakes standard on all models (with front discs on Ninety-Eights).
Power windows and seat, and variable-ratio power steering standard on all Ninety-Eight models, air conditioning standard on Ninety-Eight Luxury Sedan). 15-inch wheels standard across the board.
BUICK
(LeSabre Custom, 123-inch wheelbase; Wildcat Custom and Electra 225, 126-inch wheelbase).
401 cid V8, 280 horsepower (or no-cost regular-fuel 260 hp option) standard on LeSabre; 425 cid V8, 340 horsepower engine standard on Wildcat and Electra 225. 3-speed Super Turbine 400 transmission standard on all models along with power steering and power brakes with finned aluminum drums. Power windows and seat, and Climate Control Air Conditioning standard on Electra 225 Custom models. 15-inch wheels across the board.
CADILLAC (DeVille and Eldorado, 129.5-inch wheelbase; Fleetwood Brougham, 133-inch-wheelbase; and Fleetwood Seventy-Five, 149.75-inch wheelbase). 429 cid V8, 340 horsepower standard on all models. 3-speed Turbo-Hydramatic transmission standard on all models along with variable-ratio power steering, power 4-wheel disc brakes, power windows and seat, and Comfortron air conditioning. Dual air conditioning system standard on Fleetwood Seventy-Five. 15-inch wheels standard on all models.
These Olds have always looked terrible to me. Back in the day, yesterday, and today. Yuck.
I have to agree. Except for the Toranado, Olds styling to me was always the ugly duckling of all the GM divisions. Stuck in the absolute middle between sporty Pontiac and near-luxury Buick, extra decorations or gaudiness was the only way to be noticed. If it wasnt for some slightly unique engineering features and a loyal following among an older generation, it should have gone the way of DeSoto much sooner than it did.
When I was a kid, whenever my Dad bought a new car, he would wait for the new models to come out, go to the dealer (usually Ford) and ask for the cheapest thing they had from last year.
They would invariably be of some strange hue of hospital green.
One year it was a 60 or 61 Falcon wagon, another was a 64 Ford Custom, that one didn’t even have a radio.
When I was 14, he bought a fairly thrashed 58 MGA, which he, wisely, sold just before I got my license.
Chicago was Oldsmobile country!
So in two car families, one was an Oldsmobile and the other was a Rambler.
I saw and rode in the back seat of many an Olds. Big comfortable floaters. They all had air conditioning and attractive upholstery.
In my little Michigan town, AC was only for “rich people”.
After my comment on styling above, I’ll explain the engineering part. It seemed that the innovations Olds came up with, corporate orders were to immediately share with Cadillac, OHV V-8 and FWD. The Hydramatic was taken away and shared with Cadillac, GMC, Pontiac and even outside competitors.
“The fuel filler is now fully exposed; how I hated that GM particular design. Why?”
I actually like that set up as it meant you could pull up to any gas pump(whether it be on the left or right) and not worry about which side the filler door was on.
Plus the hidden design meant that you had to use the gas cap to hold the plate down to fill up the tank. That also allowed you not to forget about putting the cap back on the filler neck
I’ve always loved the mid 60’s full sized Oldsmobile’s (especially the Dynamic and Delta 88) and always felt they’re one of the most underrated cars of all time, plus you can’t go wrong with having the 425ci V8 as the standard engine although most of them came with the 2 barrel engine’s that still provides good acceleration, I always preferred the mid 60’s Oldsmobile’s over the Chevrolet’s due to the big engine’s and styling.
Was the Jetstar 88’s main competition to be the Ford Custom 500, Chevrolet Bel Air and Plymouth Fury II?
I think the Jetstar 88s biggest target was the Pontiac Catalina or maybe Star Chief/Executive. Maybe also upper level Mercury and Dodge. Oldsmobile would never have targeted poverty-spec bottom feeders like Ford or Plymouth. An Oldsmobile was universally recognized as a solidly middle-class car. The Jetstar 88 was a way of offering a price leader big Olds, which most people considered a step up over almost anything else not named Cadillac, Buick Lincoln or Chrysler.
Jetstar 88’s target was Chevy Impala, Ford Galaxie and Plymouth Fury owners moving out of the Low Priced 3 along with Pontiac Catalina and Dodge Polara. Also the Buick LeSabre, which was decontented somewhat for 1964 by switching from the 401 V8 of other big Buicks to the 300 cid V8 from the Skylark/Special intermediates along with smaller and narrower tires – and the 2-speed Super Turbine 300 transmission (called Jetaway by Olds). While the Jetstar’s 330 was rated at 245-260 horsepower in standard form, the LeSabre’s 300 could do only 210 horsepower (or 250 with the optional 4-barrel Ultra High Compression option) – the Buick in other words came with a standard engine that was only 17 cubic-inches larger and 15 more horsepower than the Chevy Impala’s 283 – hardly what you’d call a real “step up” – even a Dodge Polara or Plymouth Fury was more car for less money thanks to a standard 318 cubic inch V8 with 230 horsepower and a 3-speed TorqueFlite automatic (which still had pushbuttons in ’64).
similar to Mary Jo Kopechne’s unfortunate last ride with Ted Kennedy . sad
That was a 1967 Delmont 88, not a Jetstar.
Many elder buyers shunned power anything and A/C on their base big cars during 50s/60s. “Less things to break” or “Too much money”. With fresh memories of the Great Depression, anything optional was a ‘luxury’.
Later generations of big car buyuers were the ‘full boat’ fans, where A/C, power everything, and Landau tops became standard on Crown Vics, Grand Marqs and LeSabres. Penny pinchers swtiched to compacts by the late 70’s.
Today’s version of the Chevy BelAir, etc, would be the common biege Corolla LE, with only automatic as an added feature. Not too many manual trans enthusiasts buy a new Corolla.
Nice but there were many good looking cars around in 66.I’d save a few bucks and have a Chevy or Pontiac.
Although the strippo MSRP was $3k, there was room to dicker with the sticker. I suspect you could have gotten one with auto/PS/PB for $3k + tax.
Funny, how if you have an opinion that doesn’t agree with the author… It gets deleted… I guess me liking American cars from 1968-70 was BAD.
Whatever, no wonder Junkyard Dog left… And Don, YOU don’t have to explain to EVERY poster what Paul meant… You’re NOT his secretary.
Disappointed, Don because me and you agreed on a lot of things before. That quip about Albinos was sarcasm(I like to joke … Sorry if THAT offends you).
Liked it here, but I guess it’s like every other Internet forum… Where if u go against the grain… Your shunned for your beliefs(not all of you guys, a lot of you are okay). Funny, I thought this site had more class than most car forums. Stupid me.
No Sarcasmo I’m not his secretary. I didn’t see the sarcasm in your post and commented. Paul decided to delete that and another of your comments on his own account. I also didn’t appreciate my thread regarding my absolute love for this type of car descending into unfounded accusations of agenda. Paul stated what was on his mind and I stated what was on mine.
You and me do agree on stuff, particularly JDM and I don’t want to see you leave, but you’ve got to consider that sarcasm doesn’t always translate into the written word.
I think Paul is immensely tolerant; he let one comment regarding white people stand because it was politely expressed. He responded to another because it was rude and he used the opportunity to correct the misapprehension.
The thing to keep in mind here is this. We are here at the open invitation of Paul Niedermeyer. We are able to sup at this magnificent feast of automotive knowledge and conversation thanks to his generosity.
But he does have his standards of conduct.
Sarcasmo: I’m currently dealing with very serious challenges/stress in my family, as well as other demands on my time. I’ve had to drastically cut back my time at CC, including comment moderation/response. I just don’t have the time to deal with comments that veer off-topic, and are subject to various interpretation, possibly the wrong kind.
Right now, if there’s any doubt, comments are being deleted, for the most part. I simply lack the patience to deal with them in the way that I would prefer to. It’s an unfortunate case of collateral damage from the explosions in my personal life right now.
Which means I cannot deal with these issues consistently or fairly. My actions will depend on the time of day and other seemingly random factors. My apologies.
Some/many of your comments are borderline, and subject to various interpretations, which undoubtedly reflects your user handle. I’m playing it safe for now, because frankly, I’m really burned out dealing with comment issues. It’s become very tedious and wearing.
The other option is to not allow commenting, which of course would be throwing out the baby with the bathwater. But on a smaller scale, that may be what happens from time to time.
My recommendation to all commenters is to try to stick very much on-topic, and avoid veering into areas that are not clear-cut or subject to various interpretations. My apologies if that crimps your style, but unless someone else wants to take over this site, for the time being that’s the reality. It’s a compromise for me as well as everyone else.
I will be writing a post about my current limitations, when I find the time. Putting up content (feeding the monster) is the first priority.
Don, fair enough… You’re right, sometimes my sarcasm is thought to be a real statement. I noticed a lot of guys who I agreed with had a quip because, they thought I was acting standoffish or gullible.
I should save the comedy routine for the Improv. My apologies to everyone for my rant… Now, let’s talk CARS. 😉
I swear the ’65-’66 full-size Oldsmobiles were cartoonishly long. Even compared to their contemporaries. Fourteen-inch wheels really don’t help.
15-inch wheels were a mandatory option when power front disc brakes became optional in 1967. The larger wheels finally became standard on all 88s and 98s in 1969 with power front disc brakes standardized on the 98s in 1970 and at mid-year on 88s.
Paul, no need to explain… Maybe, I can try to understand another person’s situation and not play the “Everyone is against me” role.
I apologize to you, and I hope your life crisis gets better and the “waters of life”, calm for you and yours.
Also, thanks to you, Don Andreina and Chris M for apologizing/explaining like grown men. I guess this site DOES have class.
Thanks, but on the other hand, I just had to delete several of your comments on the Mark IV post. You don’t need to be such a jerk about folks asking questions, etc.. Are you able to just answer things in a normal, reasonable manner?
I agree this site is probably about the best around for transmitting information and commentary.
While I have not paid much attention, I will say that, based on more than four decades of writing and editing in print journalism, Don Andreina is correct in saying sarcasm (and satire) do not translate well to print. That’s no one’s fault, but just a fact of life.
I hope everyone stays around. I continue, even in my mid 70s, to get an education here!
Yes, I am Paul… Matt asked an honest question, but Roger came across as condescending, bold and smart alecky.
Also, told me to… Well, let’s not go there.
Well, there was NO need for that immature incident… On both our parts. Not very proud of myself.
Also, well said, Larry… We can ALL learn from each other, myself included.
I spent a lot of time in a friend’s mom’s ’66 Olds Ninety-Eight, a long wheelbase version of this car that came standard with the features most Eighty-Eights were optioned with. It came with automatic, PS, PB, a Delta 88 level interior and the 425. If the AM radio was standard, the only option in her base level Town Sedan was Air Conditioning. That car was quite sturdy and stayed around until 1978, but it had a low mileage second car life behind their 1970 Ninety-Eight LS sedan. Two very nice cars that made quite an impression on me where we had a ’68 Impala sedan during that time.
I can guarantee that the radio was not standard. Very few cars had standard radios at that time. T-Birds were about the the only ones I can recall. There may be others.
My neighbor had a Dynamic 88 for almost 40 years. They bought it new in ’65, I think, and her son, who basically paid for everything as she got older, kept fixing it up, spending as much each time as it probably would have cost to buy her a decent used car. I just hated the what we kids called “Weak ass green” it was painted, and repainted, and it had what appears to be the same color interior as the car above does. I think the “weak ass green” and Avocado were hands down the worst colors out there, with tan and brown right behind them.
A nice car ;
I remember them new , they were so far from my station in life I couldn’t imagine ever riding in one much less Pops bringing one home .
I think some here miss the part about the ultra conservative styling aspect ~ to some (me anyways) they look very sharp while still not being too ‘ loud ‘ .
-Nate
We had a rather decent ‘68 Delmont four-door (pillared, alas, but at least the pillars were chromed), medium blue with light blue cloth nterior and black vinyl roof. It was a decent enough car, I suppose; don‘t recall it giving my mother any trouble during the two years-or-so we had it or leaving me stranded anywhere. Engine was IIRC the by-then ubiquitous 350 with the 2-bbl, GM‘s “one size fits all“ V8.
But like the featured car, ours too was comically long; with fantastically pointless overhangs at both ends; and quite a bit of width too. As a true six-seater, it was inappropriately huge for a 5‘1“ widow with one child. Poor mom could barely see over the dash. She bought it only because her really nice gold-over-black ‘67 Dart two-door hardtop (pillarless!) had neither PS nor PB, and she found it a bit of a chore to drive. When she took the Dart (on which I learned to drive) to a local mechanic-used-car-dealership, they told her adding PS would be prohibitively expensive… but what about this here creampuff Oldsmobile on our lot, which already HAS those power options you want? And so the Dart disappeared and the Delmont dominated every square inch of our garage instead. I would have fonder memories of that full-sized Olds if it hadn‘t meant the end of our sweet little mid-sized Mopar 🙁
How ’bout that Oldsmobile-only engineering feature of the speedometer cable being driven by left front hub’s grease cap, via through-drilled front spindle. How’s that for Futuramic? Haha
Maybe to offset the cost of drilling spindles, transmission output shafts -although “in the rough” shared by other Divisions- Olds shafts lacked the machined provision for a speedometer drive gear.
Anybody have a clue as to what the unconventional speedometer drive was all about?
Corvairs used the same setup, which made sense in that case. Why run a cable all the way to the back of the car? I didn’t know Olds did the same thing.
I can’t help but wonder if Chrysler Newport owners of this model year would take issue with this well-written article’s tag line?
My dad’s best friend had the convertible version of this car that he bought new. It was white with red interior and was optioned to the hilt. The trunk was huge and he actually slept in it one night. He was a bachelor so he could afford some nice cars. He traded in his ’64 Chevrolet Impala SS convertible on the ’65 Olds. Before that he had a ’62 Chevrolet Impala convertible. His cars were well cared for as he was a salesman and had to have nicer cars as part of his job as the company paid him an allowance for a car and he got to choose what he wanted. Later he changed jobs and got a company car which was a letdown. 4dr Plymouth’s and Chevrolet’s was all he got to drive after he changed jobs.
Hi do you still have this car? And were is it at so I can see it.